Gas-washing apparatus



June 17, 1952 A. J. EBNER ,6

GAS-WASHING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1950 2 SX lEETS-SHEET 1 3nnentorAljf'ed .1 E brzer J1me 1952 A. J. EBNER GAS-WASHING APPARATUS 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 10, 1950 3m entor A/jred J E b72127 (IttornegsPatented June 17, 1952 UNITED s harem F I CE GAS-WASHING APPARATUS.Alfred J.v Ebner, Pittsburgh Pa.

' Application J une'lfl, 1950, Serial'No. 167,297

8 Claims.

which an inlet opens-for the gases to be washed.

A liquid. suchas water, or light'oil, or ammonia, or hot tar; or thelike-is delivered into the housingby means ofpipes or'nozzles; and, bythe action of the rapidly driven inner impeller, the injected liquid isconverted into a fine, spray. The

dirty or raw gas which is forced'or'drawn through the inlet into theimpeller chamber is subjected to the-scrubbing action ofthe impellerblades or 'vanes, and. is brought intointimate contactwith the finelydivided droplets of the washing liquid,

which pick up-and-retain the particles of dust and condensed vapors orfumesin-the raw gases. The impellers expel under-centrifugal force theliquid particles andtheir inclusions against the walls of the impellerhousing, whence they drain to thebottom of the housingior removal to a asuitable receptacle for disposal or further processing. Theclean gasesare delivered'irom the housing by way of an outlet passage openingtangentially-from'the involute chamber therein.

Dueto the high temperature of the gases, the erosive dust and thecorrosivefumes that areineluded withthegases entering the apparatustheproblem has been to provide bearingsfor the-impellers which will endure-the 'heat and the abrasive effects of the inclusions in the gases. Mypresent invention consists in a particularly effective; bearing:structure that affords a solution of-the problem.

The invention will be understood. uponreference to theaccompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is aview inside elevation of a gas-washing apparatus thatembodiesthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of-the apparatus-partly in vertical medial section,.andpartly .in. elevation, as seen from the left of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary sectional view, illustrating a modification inthestructure in which the invention is centered.

Referring to the'drawings, the reference -numeral 1- indicates -ahousing including a central involute'chamber 2. The opposite side wallsof the housing carry bearingst, 3 for the shaft 4 of an-impellerorvan'ed rotor i. The impeller 5,

rigidly fixed to the shaft 4,. is u centered with respect to theinvolute 'chamberl, asappears in Fig. 2. Encompassing the impeller 55,and a mounted concentrically with respect thereto, is an outer rotor orimpeller 6. The inner impeller- 5= is-driven "bymeans of anelectricmotor or otherprime mover (not shown) connected to the shaft 4,while the: outer impeller t 1 isfree to I rotate under :the reaction ofthe fluids-propelled by the-innerimpelleri 5.

The. bearingsfor the-shaft: 4 comprises two hearing elements, inthis-case in the formoftw0 blocks l 0 which-are severallysecured in thetubu- -lar-housingsll of thebearings--3, -3. Thecasings 1 I I i of thebearings are mounted in fluidtight. assembly on theSi-de walls of thehousing -I, and at the outer end of each bearing casing a. packing gland12 ,is arranged to seal the :shaft.

While. the inner impelleri is positively driven,

. as described above. the outerimpeller 6 ismount- .edfor independentorfree. rotation, the mounting for: ithe outer impeller comprisingbearing elements in thefor-m ofihubs or bushings] 3,-formed of hardrubberor other suitable bearing material, .secured in casing portions ll'a that extend inwardlyirom the sidewalls ofthe housing I. Spacer rings14 aremounted on the shaftfi", between thehub of the innerrotor'SQand'thdhubs of the spiders 8 of the outer rotor; thus insuringproper axial-centering of the inner andouter impellers.

1 The impeller fi comprises a-pair of spiders, each havingahubpor-tionl, fromwhichspokest radiate in spacedrelation. To-the outerends ofthe "arms or spokes il of each spider an annular plate 9 issecured. At uniformly spaced-apart points in the circumference of theannular plates 9, 9 two rowsof-rods 15 and lfi-spanthe intervalbetweensuch plates. 'On'theserods three sets of annular plates l1 and [9are mounted. The an- .nular plates 9, Hand [9 appearindotted lines in"Fig. 1, while the showing of such-plates in Fig. 2

.is conventionalized for clarityof illustration. I The .inner set ofplates H is centeredor aligned with the vanes or blades l 8 :of theinner impeller 5,

which in turniscenteredwith the involute chamber 2,-while the othertwo-sets of annular plates I9, are arranged on opposite sides of thecentral -set -17. The plates! 1-andl'9 are'secu'red in their I5 and I6extending through the outside annular members 9, 9. It will be perceivedthat inner set of plates I! are more closely spaced than the two outersets of plates I9; that the inner set of plates is of greater radialextent than the outer sets; and that additional rods reinforce theassembly of the inner set of plates. Between the plates I! of the innerset arcuate vanes 20 are mounted at intervals uniformly spacedcircumferentially of the rotor assembly, as appears in entering theapparatus through inlets 2| are drawn to the center of the rotatinginner impeller 5, whence they are propelled by centrifugal force intothe spaces between the plates II. Through inlets 23 provided in theopposite side walls of the housing I, a gas-washing liquid is jettedupon the rapidly rotoring blades of the impeller 5, and by the impact ofsuch blades the liquid is con verted into a spray. The gas beingpropelled through the apparatus is subjected to a violent scrubbingaction by the impeller blades, and is brought into intimate contact withthe liquid in finely divided form. The liquid droplets pick up the dustor other particles to be removed from the gases, and the gases with theliquid droplets are propelled into the passages between the plates I1,and against the surfaces of the vanes 20 between such plates. Under thereaction of the gases and water globules impelled against the vanes 20,the impeller 6 is rotated. Clean gas escapes from the outer edges of theplates II into the involute chamber 2, whence it escapes through theoutlet 22. The droplets of washing liquid with the inclusions removedfrom the gases drain to the bottom of housing I, whence the accumulatedliquid is removed through outlets 24.

Velocity and energy are imparted to the liquid and gases by the rotatingblades of the impeller. The vanes 20 between the plates [1 are impingedupon by the gases and liquid delivered by impeller 5 across the breadthof the set of plates IT, and the impact of the gases and liquid againstsuch vanes supplements the scrubbing accomplished by the impeller 5. Thetwo outer or lateral sets of blades I9 are effective to maintain thegases entering the apparatus distributed laterally of the spaces in thehousing I on opposite sides of the impeller 5, and to provide for adistributed flow of the entering gases on the opposite sides of suchimpeller, whereby a distributed and uniform supply of the gases is drawninto the impeller.

In accordance with the invention the bearings 3,3 are designed toexclude the gases in the impeller housing I from contact with therelatively moving wearing surfaces of the bearing elements, wherebyfreedom is obtained from any abrasive or corrosive action of the dustparticles or vapors entrained in the gases. More particularly, a fluidunder pressure-a gas-washing liquid in this case-is forced between thebearing surfaces inwardly into the housing I, with the effect that notonly is the desired exclusion of gases obtained, but the bearings areefliciently cleansed, cooled and lubricated.

Into each bearing casing II an inlet opens on the outer side of thebearing element I0, and through such inlet a suitable liquid such aslight oil, or an emulsion of oil and water, or other suitable liquid, isdelivered under a pressure exceeding that of the gases within thehousing I. This liquid flows inwardly between the contacting surfaces ofthe bearing element I0 and the rotating shaft 4, and through passages 28formed in the body of bearing l0 into an annular space 21. The passages25 conveniently consist in a plurality of axially extendingcircumferentially spaced slots, which insure a distributed movement ofliquid within and around the entire body of the bearing element. Fromthe space 21 the liquid is forced inwardly between the relatively movingcontact surfaces of the brushing I3 and hub I of the rotor 6. Uponreaching the inner end of the bearing casing II the liquid escapes frombetween the relatively rotating surfaces of the said bushing and hub,where it is entrained with the gases rapidly moving under the propulsionof the impeller 5. From the space 2'! there is also a flow of the liquidinwardly between the surface of the shaft 4 and the bore in the hub Iand upon emerging from the bore of the hub the liquid works its waybetween the spacer rings I4 and the shaft 4. Under the effect of therapidly rotating shaft the rings I4, rotating under the frictional dragof the shaft, operate as slingers; that is, the liquid, seeping betweenthe adjacent lateral surfaces of the rings I4, as it does, is throwncentrifugally into the gases moving rapidly into the orbit of the bladesof impeller 5. The blades beat the liquid into a spray, and such sprayoperates with the liquid introduced through openings 23 in the cleansingor washing of the gases in the manner already described. Indeed, in somecases the injection of liquid through the bearings 3,3 may be increasedto the extent that all liquid required for washing the gases will beobtained through the bearings 3,3 without introducing any liquid throughthe inlets 23.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification in the structure of the bearings 3,3wherein the bearing element or bushing 30, the bushing I30 and the hub10 are arranged concentrically one within another.

Each of the two hubs I0 of the outer rotor or impeller 6 provides in themodified structure a bearing for the shaft 4, and each hub carries anexternal bushing or journal I30 for rotation in the associate bearingcasing II, the bearing element 30 providing a liner or inner bushing inthe hub, with which the rotating shaft 4 makes immediate bearingcontact. A circumferentially spaced series of passages or grooves 260 isformed within the shaft-engaging surface of the bearing element 30, andthrough these grooves the liquid fed into the bearing under pressureflows along the shaft, providing bearing lubrication and excluding theinfiltration of gases and dust from within the housing I. Upon emergingfrom the grooves 260 the liquid flows into the spaces I40 formed in thebodies of the spacer rings I4I, whence it seeps between the laterallyabutting surfaces of the rings and is thrown outward into the streaminggases on their way into the zone of action of the impeller 5.

The bushing I30 may be provided with a circumferential series of groovesI3 I, through which the liquid flows to the inner end of the bearingcasing II, whence it works its way between the surface ll of therotating hub and the inner end (l la)v of the said casing, and emergesinto the turbulent gases within the housing I.

The structure of the invention solves the problem alluded to in theintroduction to this specification, and affords many advantages whichwill be apparent to those skilled in the art. And it will be understoodthat many variations in the form and arrangement of the structuredescribed may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventiondefined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Gas-washing apparatus comprising a housing having an inlet and anoutlet for the gas to be cleaned, inner and outer impellers mountedconcentrically of each other in said housing, a horizontal shaftrotatably supporting the inner impeller, with the outer impeller mountedfor floating rotation about the shaft, each of said impellers having ahub portion, the hub portions of the two impellers being spaced apartaxially of the shaft, a plurality of spacer rings mounted on the shaftbetween said hub portions for maintaining the impellers in alignmentlongitudinally I of the shaft, a bearing for said shaft comprising abearing casing sealed to the wall of said housing, a bearing element insaid casing for said shaft, a passage in said bearing structurecommunicating at one end with the surface area of the shaft encompassedby said spacer rings, and means for admitting liquid to said passage ata higher pressure than that of the gas prevailing in said housing,whereby liquid delivered inwardly through said passage is throwncentrifugally into the gas in said housing by the action of said spacerrings rotating with said shaft.

2. Gas-washing apparatus comprising a housing having opposite side wallsand including an inlet and an outlet for the gas to be cleaned, innerand outer impellers mounted concentrically of each other in saidhousing, a horizontal shaft rotatably supporting the inner impeller,said outer impeller being supported by spiders including hubs mounted onsaid shaft on opposite sides of said inner impeller, said inner impellerhaving a hub portion on said shaft, bearings for said shaft on oppositesides of impeller assembly, each bearing comprising a bearing casingsealed to the side walls of said housing, said hubs of the outerimpeller comprising bearing elements arranged in said bearing casings, abearing element in each of said casings for said shaft. passages in eachbearing assembly communicating with the surface areas of the shaftencompassed by said spacer rings on opposite sides of the inner impellerhub, and means for admitting liquid to said passages at a higherpressure than that of the gas prevailing in said housing, whereby liquiddelivered inwardly through said passages is, by the action of saidspacer rings rotating with the shaft, thrown centrifugally into saidhousing for movement into gas-scrubbing cooperation with said impellers.

3. Apparatus for propelling a gas that includes an abrasive or corrosivematerial comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet for the gasto be propelled, two impellers mounted concentrically one within theother in said housing, a horizontal drive shaft, spider means supportingone impeller, the other impeller being secured to said shaft, a bearingassembly for said shaft comprising a casing sealed to the wall of saidhousing, two bearing portions arranged one within the other to saidcasing, one bearing portion for said shaft and the other for said spidermeans, each bearing portion having passages communicating with theinterior of said housing,

and means foradmitting bearing-cleansing fluid under pressure to saidpassages, whereby such fluid is caused to cool and lubricate saidbearing portions and to escape into the gas propelled through saidhousing.

4. Apparatus for propelling a gas that includes an abrasive or corrosivematerial comprising a housing having opposite side walls and includingan inlet and outlet for the gas to be propelled, two impellers mountedconcentrically one within the other in said housing. a horizontal driveshaft, spider means supporting one impeller, the other impeller beingsecured to said shaft, two bearing assemblies for said shaft comprisingtwo casings sealed one to each of the opposite side walls of saidhousing, two bearing portions arranged one within the other in eachcasing, one of said two bearing portions in each casing providing abearing for said shaft and the other for said spider means, each of saidbearing portions having passages communicating with the interior of saidhousing, and means for admitting bearing-cleansing fluid under pressureto said passages, whereby such fluid is caused to cool and lubricatesaid bearing assemblies and to escape from said assemblies toward theopposite sides of said concentric impellers that propel said gas throughsaid housing.

5. The structure of claim 4, said impellers being located between saidbearing assemblies, and a plurality of spacer rings mounted on the shaftbetween the impellers and bearing assemblies, said passages beingarranged to deliver said liquid to said spacer rings, whereby liquiddelivered inwardly through said passages is thrown centrifugally by saidrings into the gas propelled through said housing.

6. Apparatus for propelling a gas that includes an abrasive or corrosivematerial comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet for the gasto be propelled, two impellers mounted concentrically one within theother in said housing, a horizontal drive shaft, spider means supportingone impeller, the other impeller being secured to said shaft, a bearingassembly for said shaft comprising a casing sealed to the wall of saidhousing, a hub portion extending from said spider means into said casingconcentrically of the shaft, a bushing secured within said hub portionto provide a bearing for said shaft, with the shaft-engaging surface ofthe bushing formed with passages communicating with the interior of saidhousing, a bushing secured externally upon said hub to provide inconjunction with said casing a bearing for said spider means, withpassages formed in the bushing at the bearing surface between suchbushing and said casing, and means for admitting bearing-cleansing fluidunder pressure to said passages, whereby such fluid is caused to cooland lubricate the bearing assembly and to escape from said passages intothe gases propelled through said housing.

7. Apparatus for propelling a gas that includes an abrasive or corrosivematerial comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet for the gasto be propelled, two impellers mounted concentrically one within theother in said housing, a horizontal drive shaft, spider means supportingone impeller, the other impeller being secured to said shaft, twobearing assemblies for said shaft comprising two casings sealed to eachof the opposite side walls of said housing, a hub portion extending fromsaid spider means into each casing concentrically of said shaft, abushing secured within said hub portion to provide a bearing 'for saidshaft, with the shafteengaging surfaces of the bushings formedwithpassages communicating with the interior of said housing. a bushingsecured externally upon each hub to provide in conjunction with saidcasing a. .bearing for said spider means, with passages iormed in eachbushing at the bearing surface between such bushing and said casing, andmeans for admitting bearing-cleansing fluid under pressure to saidpassages, whereby such fluid is caused to cool and lubricate the bearingassemblies and to escape from said bearing assemblies toward theopposite sides of said concentric impellers that propel the gas throughsaid housing.

8. The structure of claim '7', said impellers being located between saidbearing assemblies, and a plurality of spacer rings mounted on, theshaft between the impeller and bearingassemblies, said passages beingarranged to deliver said liquid to said spacer rings, whereby liguiddelivered inwardly through said passages is thrown centrifugally by saidring into the gas propelled by said housing.

ALFRED J. EBNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS.

Number Name Date 17.0;475 Hopper NOV. 30. 1875 2,163,141 Ebner June 20,1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 402.58,? France Sept. 1, 1909

